Bayern champion, Manchester City and Liverpool still on top, Betis winner of the King’s Cup… What to remember from the European weekend

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With the end of the season approaching, matches are crucial across Europe. Like Paris, Bayern secured their league title with a large lead. In England, the fierce fight for the coronation continues between Liverpool and Manchester City while Arsenal took an option on fourth place, qualifying for the Champions League. In Spain, Betis won their first major title in 17 years. Throwback to a busy football weekend.

Bayern champion for the tenth consecutive year

In a classic against Borussia Dortmund, his runner-up, Bayern Munich secured a new German championship title on Saturday with a 3-1 victory. The 32nd title in the history of the Bavarian club but above all the tenth consecutive, symbol of an outrageous domination of Bayern across the Rhine.

Best attack (92 goals scored in 31 games) and best defense (30 goals conceded), Julian Nagelsmann’s team once again dominated their championship head and shoulders. Symbol of the hegemony of the Bavarians, Robert Lewandowski, still a scorer on Saturday, crushes the ranking of the best directors with 33 goals scored. A season still under control in the league, but disappointing in the Champions League with elimination in the quarter-finals against Villarreal, however, leaves a mixed impression on Bayern supporters.

Manchester City and Liverpool continue their race for the lead

The fight for the Premier League title is keeping all its promises. With only a point difference between Manchester City and Liverpool, nothing is decided for the final victory across the Channel. No counter-performance is therefore allowed for the two groups. In this context, the Cityzen put pressure on the Reds on Saturday, winning 5-1 at Watford. Guided by Gabriel Jesus, author of a quadruple, the players of Pep Guardiola were not worried by the penultimate of the championship.

Liverpool responded well to this intimidation by winning the Merseyside derby against a struggling Everton. A 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Andrew Robertson and Divock Origi. By sticking to Manchester City, the Reds sink a little more the Toffees, now 18th and first relegation.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 100th goal wasn’t enough

Five days after the family drama that affected him, Cristiano Ronaldo was back on English lawns at Arsenal for a decisive meeting for the end of the season. The Portuguese was applauded and supported in the seventh minute by the rival crowd at Emirates Stadium. As a symbol, Ronaldo scored the hundredth goal of his Premier League career. An achievement that he celebrated very soberly by raising a finger to the sky.

Unfortunately for him, it will be the only goal for the Red Devils, who lose 3-1 to a motivated and more realistic Gunners. An important victory for the players of Mikel Arteta, three days after having already beaten Chelsea (4-2). Arsenal now enjoy a comfortable lead over Manchester United (six points) and one more game to play. Alexandre Lacazette’s teammates are therefore almost guaranteed to finish in the Top 5.

A victory all the more crucial as Tottenham conceded the draw against Brentford (0-0). Arsenal is therefore positioned alone in fourth position, synonymous with the last qualifying place for the Champions League. The Gunners haven’t played in this competition since the 2016-17 season.

Betis, King of Spain

It was after 12:30 a.m. on the night in Seville on Saturday when Juan Miranda came forward to take the winning penalty for Betis. Opposed to Valencia in an unprecedented King’s Cup final, the Andalusians offered their third title in this competition, seventeen years after the last. A victory warmly celebrated with their audience, many of whom made the eight-kilometre trip between their home, the Benito Villamarin stadium, and the Cartuja Olympic stadium, the venue for the final.

In a pleasant match, Sevillians and Valencians went blow for blow, Hugo Duro responding to Borja Iglesias in the first period. A zero score of a goal everywhere which held until the penalty shootout. A session which therefore turned in favor of Betis who were able to convert their five attempts when Valencia saw Yunus Musah’s penalty fly over the goal. A coronation that crowns a successful season. Betis are in fifth place in the league.

The two Milan dominate Rome

As in England, the race for the Scudetto is raging in Italy. Inter are two points behind arch-rivals Milan but have a late game in Bologna on Wednesday. Easy winners of Roma on Saturday (3-1), Simone Inzaghi’s players had their eyes glued to the other match between the two transalpine cities between the Rossoneri and Lazio.

Long in difficulty, the Milanese won in stoppage time thanks to their young midfielder Sandro Tonali. Before that, Olivier Giroud, often a scorer in big games, had equalized after Ciro Immobile’s quick opener. A forceps victory for Stefano Pioli’s players who put pressure on the Interists. The latter have no room for error in Bologna if they want to regain the lead in the championship.


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